Kongsberg Maritime has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India’s Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) during the Nor-Shipping 2025 event in Oslo, initiating a collaborative effort to explore the design of India’s first indigenous polar research vessel.
The agreement marks a significant milestone in India’s ambitions to strengthen its polar research capabilities and scientific presence in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. While still in the exploratory phase, the MoU reflects the strategic importance of polar science and the increasing global demand for advanced, sustainable research platforms.
Kongsberg Maritime brings decades of ship design expertise, including the successful delivery of complex polar research vessels for nations such as the United Kingdom and Norway. The company takes an integrated approach to vessel design, combining advanced propulsion, automation, and mission-critical systems tailored for operations in extreme polar environments and heavy ice conditions.
“This collaboration reflects the trust placed in Kongsberg Maritime’s capabilities and our long-standing commitment to supporting scientific exploration in the world’s most challenging environments,” said Annette Holte, Country Manager – India, Kongsberg Maritime.
“We are proud to support India’s vision for a state-of-the-art polar research platform. This initiative aligns strongly with the Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ policy, and we look forward to working closely with GRSE to explore innovative and locally driven design solutions.”
The proposed vessel is to support a wide range of scientific missions, including climate research, oceanography, and polar logistics. It will incorporate Kongsberg Maritime’s integrated technologies to ensure safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible operations in polar regions.
The MoU was signed at Nor-Shipping 2025, where Kongsberg Maritime is showcasing its latest innovations under the theme Technologies for Sustainable Oceans.
In addition to the research vessel project, GRSE recently signed a letter of intent with German shipping company Carsten Rehder Schiffsmakler to build four 7,500 DWT multi-purpose vessels (MPP). The formal contract is expected to be completed by the end of August. So far, the number of 7,500 DWT multi-purpose vessels of Carsten Rehder Schiffsmakler at the GRSE has increased to 12.
GRSE is affiliated to the Indian Ministry of Defense and is famous for building ships and offshore vessels. According to the official website, GRSE’s history can be traced back to 1884. It currently has modern shipbuilding infrastructure, VR laboratories and other shipbuilding equipment, with an annual production capacity of 20 vessels.